Kulik enters guilty pleas on three charges

November 19, 2012

ROGERS CITY - A former Rogers City police officer pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors resulting from an investigation into his activities during his time in the department.

Daniel John Kulik pleaded guilty Monday to a high-court misdemeanor of carrying a loaded weapon in a vehicle, a count of interfering with a crime report and one count of willful neglect of duty by a public officer. The first carries a maximum two-year jail term, or a fine of $2,500, or both. The remaining two are misdemeanors, each with a maximum one-year jail term, $1,000 fine or both.

Kulik, 40, originally was charged in August with one felony count each of tampering with evidence, misconduct in office and possession of valium, according to a release from the office of Daryl Vizina, Cheboygan County prosecutor.

In October, about two months after turning himself in to police, Kulik agreed to plead guilty to three lesser charges in 53rd Circuit Court, according to Dan White, Kulik's attorney. The possession charge was dropped.

During the arraignment, Kulik told the court he was guilty of one count of police misconduct after moving a homemade bomb he and an acquaintance found in a deer blind on someone else's property. When he did so, he knew one of the property owners was under investigation for arson involving incendiary devices, and police had searched the property, he said in response to questions from his counsel, Matt Wojda.

After moving the bomb to another building on the property, Kulik told another property owner what he had done, but never notified police, he said.

"I don't know, your honor," Kulik said after Judge Scott Pavlich asked why he didn't report finding the bomb. After more questioning, Pavlich again asked him if he had a reason for not notifying authorities.

"No, sir," Kulik said.

On Nov. 9, 2009, roughly three weeks prior to moving the bomb, Kulik used the Law Enforcement Information Network unofficially, he said. That personal use was the basis for his second misconduct charge. He used the network to check if the property co-owner was wanted by the police, and did so out of concern for his family and friends who visited the property, he said.

About a year prior to both activities, Kulik drove to his hunting blind on a private drive with a loaded rifle in his vehicle, he said.

When Kulik agreed to the plea arrangement, he did so on the condition that he not be forbidden from owning firearms by any probation order resulting from the pleas, Wojda said.